Rise of the Elements
by Teller
Summary: Sequel to 'Sailors of the Elements.' (ahem) A mysterious scout is patrolling Tokyo at night, all the scouts are sensing a new evil, and Ami has to fly to the other side of the world. The Elements are in a jam - who - or what - will help them out? r/r to
1. Prologue: Return of the Elements

Author's Note: Hi all! This is the sequel to 'Sailors of the Elements,' so if you haven't read that I would suggest reading it before this, as you will be very confused if you do not. Again, it focuses mainly on the Elementals (I can't help it, I fall in love with the characters I create) - so if you're a Serena/Darien fic fan or a Haruka/Michiru fan etc etc, I would recommend looking elsewhere. 

Thank you so much for reading this nonsense! Oh, and before I forget, two things: 1) Disclaimer: of course I don't own anything about Sailor Moon or Sailor Moon related except for my own characters. I would be honored if you wrote a fic using my characters, just drop me a line at clarabeara87@aol.com before you do. and 2) I'm looking for a beta reader. I do Sailor Moon, Labyrinth, Harry Potter, and freelance stories. Any takers?? Please say yes. Thanks again! Read it, review it, and most importantly, enjoy it!  
~Teller

__

"Rise of the Elements"

Prologue: The Beginning

I smiled gently down into the bubbly foam of the sea wave tenatively licking the toes of my boots. I raised the end of my staff so it would not get wet from the incoming tide and gazed up at the moon that hung full and glittering in the sky, silently thanking Queen Serenity for everything. And everything was a lot, especially as of late. I glanced up to the rolling dunes that lay at the foot of Tokyo, and saw a familiar figure staring avidly at me. I debated waving to her, but decided against it, and as she turned to the small feline figure beside her, I leapt to the top of a nearby building. She looked back to shore, and the cat stared at her worriedly. Shaking her head, she turned away and headed back to the parking lot of the beach. I smiled, and watched a feather drift down from the sky to land on the beach where I had just been standing. My new life was beginning . . . 

* ***

~Avaris~

The next day I awoke feeling strangely at peace. After the recent events, peace was the last on a very very very long list of things I had expected to feel, but nevertheless, a strange emotion akin to bliss seemed to have taken up residence within me. 

As I mechanically went through my morning routine - showering (Where was the soap??), getting dressed (My skirt isn't ironed!), finding my school books (Math book! Math book!) and hunting down that one shoe that always winds up in my little brothers bed room (Coincidence? Ha!), my thoughts drifted to the future . . . something I had not been thinking of for a while, considering that during the recent events I had been mostly concerned with the present - as in, the I-am-gonna-die-right-now present. Now that the battles with Leander were over, what would happen next? Would my, Mamesa's, Halimeda's, and Arianna's roles in the Senshi life drift into the background with no reason to protect? Peace was surely at hand, but for how long? As horrible as it sounds, I knew I would miss the rush of adrenaline that thrilled through my veins when I called up my transformation. 

Pensively, I picked up my glass of orange juice and rolled the citrus sweetness around my mouth. Whatever was to happen, I would be ready, I decided as I clipped my Crystal around my neck and headed out the door to another grueling day of school. . .

****

~Mamesa~

I felt the warm rays of the dawning sun roll across my face like melted butter. Drowsily, I curled up on my futon, squeezing my eyes shut against the invading sunlight. I did _not_ want to go to school today . . . I sighed, then tensed instantly as I felt someone standing by me. Someone was crouching by my bed, careful not to disturb my sleep. 

*Yuki*

My sister's silky hair spilled across her pillow like black satin. It twinkled red in the light, and was practically screaming at me to twist my tiny fingers in it and pull hard. I'm just a baby, how am I supposed to know I shouldn't pull hair? I reached out to it, but then . . . her necklace glittered in the sunlight, ruby red against the pale skin of her collar bone. It twinkled invitingly, more so than her shiny hair. I reached a chubby hand out to touch it gently. Just as my fingers brushed against it's surface, I felt a rush of heat well up from inside it . . . fire! My hand was on fire! 

*Mamesa*

Someone grabbed my necklace, and before I could react, the crystal's built-in 'burglar alarm' sent mental flames at the intruder. My eyes flew open and I reflexively grabbed the fingers that had inclosed around my charm.

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" I sighed and rolled my eyes. It was only my baby sister of two years, Yuki. So much for sleeping in: this was going to be a very, very long day.

"Yuki . . ." I moaned. "Did you touch Mame's necklace?" I tried to speak in a reprimanding tone. She nodded through her tears, and I sighed again. "Never touch Mame's necklace . . . it, um . . . doesn't like to be touched," I said. "Let me see your hands." She held them up to me. They were unmarked by fire or heat of any kind. "You're fine," I said gently. "See? You aren't burned at all." She held her hand up to her face in wonder, and promptly went cross-eyed looking for the burns she knew were there, somewhere. She had felt her hands get burned, now where was the evidence? Maybe hiding in one of the rolls of baby fat . . . I'm sorry, but my sister is one fat baby( I probably was, too). 

"Mame, hot," she said, pointing at my necklace. I sighed. How could I explain something like the Fire Crystal to a two year old? 

"I think you dreamed it, sweetie," I said.

"No," she said stubbornly. "Hot!" 

"Mamesa, darling?" My mother's voice drifted up the stairwell. "Is everything allright?"

"Yes, mother, fine!" I yelled back. "Yuki just had a bad dream!"

"No dream!" Yuki insisted, looking furious that I had told such a falsehood. "Hot!"

"Okay, Yuki, hot," I murmured, not really listening as I rolled up my futon and shoved it against the wall. As I got ready for school, my younger sister toddled out of my room down to the breakfast room below. 

I bounced down the stairs, hopping on one foot and still pulling one sock on as I tried vainly to be ready in time for school. Yuki sat at the counter drawing with crayons, and my mother leaned against the table sipping a cup of tea. 

"Good morning, Mamesa," she said brightly. Looked like _she_ got some sleep. . . .

"Morning," I mumbled, pulling a brush frantically through my hair. No time now, I'd have to leave it down . . .

"Mame hot," Yuki informed my mother matter-of-factly.

"Hot?" My mom repeated, looking at me worriedly. "Do you have a temperature, Mamesa?" 

"Nope. I don't know what she's talking about," I said, as I grabbed a piece of toast, an orange, and headed out the door. "Bye mom!" I slammed the door shut behind me, and let out a huge breath of air. What a nightmare! I don't care how much sleep my mom needs, Yuki is absolutely _not_ sleeping in my room ever again. I brushed a stray strand of hair irratibly out of my face. I hate it when I have to leave my hair down. 

As I peeled my orange and strolled down the street, time and school forgotten, I began to think of the battle . . . the final one, where both Celeste and Leander had died. The circular orange reminded me of the webbed cage that their powers had encased them in. What had happened inside that massive sphere? What had Celeste done that was so powerful it destroyed both her enemy . . . and herself? What _could_ she have done?? She must have had a lot more power than I thought she did . . . and now she was gone. I sighed and tossed the rind away. Her death hadn't hit me as hard as it did Avaris, but it still depressed me . . . and I had barely even known her! 

"Mamesa!" A familiar voice yelled out from behind me. I whirled around, and saw none other than Rei Hino running up the street to catch up with me! "Wait up!" she yelled. It was all I could do not to stare. _Rei Hino_, possibly the one person who hated me most in the entire world, was telling me to wait for her? This could not possibly be a good thing. 

"Yes?" I asked her. She panted and stopped to catch her breath. When she had rested for a moment, she began walking with me. 

"I wanted to talk to you," she began, looking at me out of the corner of her eye.

"About what?" It was all I could do not to keep the wariness out of my voice. She stopped and faced me.

"Well, I figured I should clear some things up." She started. I waited for her to continue. "Well, we never really got off on the right foot, and now that we're both Senshi, I figured we should start over . . ." she said hesitantly.

"That sounds great!" I said enthusiastically. She looked surprised.

"Seriously?" She asked. I nodded and stuck out a hand. 

"Seriously," I said. She shook it, smiled at me, and we continued to walk to school. 

****

~Halimeda~

I felt the cool water thrill around me as I flipped over at the end of the lane and practiced my flip turn. I tensed my muscles and shoved off the wall as hard as I could, and kicked my way to the other end. 

_Two more laps_, I thought. _Then I'll stop._

I climbed out of the pool and wrapped a fluffy towel around me, watching the reflections of the water play about on the ceiling. The blue-gold lighting reminded me forcibly of my transformation and gave me a jittery feeling of anticipation. 

Turning from the pool, I faced the huge panoramic windows that were situated parallel to the lap pool in my grandfather's house. I was a terrible insomniac, and whenever I couldn't sleep, I came down here to swim a few laps and work out the tension and stress from school. Today I had been here for a few hours, and now I could watch the sun rise over the ocean. I settled into one of the lawn chairs and watched the sky awake. When the sun had finally crept up over the edge of the sea, I pulled myself out of my position - I had almost fallen asleep again - and headed upstairs. After I showered and got dressed, I went to the kitchen for breakfast.

"Manana, abuelo," (Good morning, grandfather) I greeted him. He looked up from his coffee and newspaper.

"Halimeda!" He said in a heavily accented voice. He had been born and raised in Spain, as I had, but in a different region, so his accent was sometimes difficult to understand. "How did you sleep?" he asked. I shook my head and rolled my eyes.

"Not well," I said, and twisited my hair into the braid it was famous for. My grandfather eyed me sympathetically. 

"You and your mother," He said. I smiled. My mom was an insomniac too, whenever she was home. She was a business woman, and was constantly traveling. My dad had left us when I was four, and he died a few years later in a car accident. Neither my mother nor I mourned the event. My mom traveled constantly, so it was mostly just Abuelo and me in his huge house outside of Tokyo . . . 

My grandmother had died just before I was born. I had never known her personally, but my grandfather spoke of her so frequently it feels as if I have. Grandfather had been a business man who owned an international bank back in Spain. He retired and handed the bank over to my uncle a few years ago, and moved to Japan, where he had purchased land and a house several years ahead of his retirement. Now he had, as he often said, more money than he knew what to do with, and donated most of it to hospitals and charities. The rest he put into my college fund.

"What time is it?" I asked him, peering into the refrigerator for breakfast. 

"Just about six," he said. "School starts at eight, no?"

"Yes," I said, pulling out some yogurt. "I've got a while."

"Maybe you should catch up on your homework?" He suggested, smiling slyly. I supressed a smile. Grandfather was always trying to push me to my limits, although I'm afraid I'll never catch up to Ami, who was _the_ smartest student at Juuban High.

"I've done everything on my syllabus, Grandfather," I said. "I think I'll just walk to school today."

"Will you be there on time?" He asked doubtfully.

"I'm sure I will," I said, leaning over to pick up my bookbag. "I'll probably be there a bit early."

"If you say so," He said, still looking doubtful.

"Abuelo," I kissed him on the cheek. "I will. Hasta luego!" (see you later)

"Hasta luego!" He called after me as I headed out the door. 

Once I was out the front gate, I sighed and relaxed a bit. Being inside those high stone walls always made me feel more than a little tense. 

I unbraided my hair and ran my fingers through it, trying to encourage it to dry a bit faster. As I walked slowly down the street - fairly busy for such an early hour - I thought about Celeste. I had never known her, and yet she gave her life to save me - and others. She had supplied me with weapons - the Horn of Merlin, as well as a spear - that enabled me and the rest of the Elements to defeat Leander and Lady Darkness. Those few facts were very powerful. Of course, I was to protect and serve Sailor Mars, but had Celeste known she would protect and serve the entire human race - the very world? It was a very unnerving question. 

But, if you looked at the big picture, I suppose that I protected and served the entire human race and world through protecting Sailor Mars. She had saved the world many times, with the other Scouts and Sailor Moon alongside her, of course, but still . . .

I sighed, exasperated with my hair, and stopped to pull a brush out of my briefcase. These thoughts were just too complicated for me. I fingered the Crystal that hung at my neck. I would just have to do my job, and do it well, and hope that my destiny never came down to what Celeste's destiny did . . . 

****

~Arianna~

I groaned sleepily as I pulled myself out of bed. I stumbled across my room and, after pulling my uniform out of the closet, fell (Literally . . . if the bruise on my thigh is any indication!) into the bathroom. Wiping sleep out of my eyes, I fumbled with the shower knobs and finally persuaded the shower to my desired temperature. As the steaming water ran through my hair and down my body, I began to wake up - slowly, mind you, very slowly, as always. 

As I lathered my hands with shampoo and reached up to wash my hair, my fingers got tangled in a very fine chain . . . the chain the Cloud Crystal hung on.

Reality came crashing down on me as I suddenly remembered the events of the past week. I had temporarily forgotten about the Sailor Scouts, the Sailors of the Elements, and even Sailor Sky - me. I was awake faster than I had ever been in my entire life - I almost fell down again, which definitely would not have been good. 

How could I have spaced out that I was a senshi?!?! I rolled my eyes, exasperated with myself. I've always been spacy, but this just takes the cake. 

Rolling my eyes, I turned off the shower and stepped out of the tub. After toweling myself dry and getting dressed quickly as possible, I hurried to the kitchenette and grabbed my lunch that I had prepared the night before. I was about to make myself some breakfast, but I glanced inadvertently at the clock and realized it was a LOT later than I thought it was.

"Oh NO!" I yelled, and sprinted out the door. I hurried to the elevator, and pummeled the button repeatedly. "Come on, come ON," I said as I watched the light depicting where the elevator was. It was three floors above me. Slowly it moved downwards, and finally arrived with a quiet 'ding!'and the slight grating sound of the doors sliding open. Without even looking to see if anyone was inside, I threw myself through the doors and hit the "Lobby" button. 

Or at least, that's what I was planning on doing, but there was a person in the way. 

"Watch it!" They said indignantly. I turned to apologize, and my eyes widened.

"Lita?" I said. Her green eyes widened as wide as mine, if not wider. 

"Arianna?" She asked in disbelief. "What are you - do you live here?" I nodded.

"Do you?" I asked. She nodded mutely. 

"Wh - well - wow," I said. "It's a small world." She nodded again.

"What's your apartment number?" She asked.

"316," I said. "What's yours?"

"Mine's 616!" She said excitedly. (AN: Okay, I know in the anime Lita lives in 216, but that doesn't work for me here, ok?)

"Really? This is too weird," I said. 

"Yeah," she agreed, still looking slightly disbelieving. The elevator doors dinged and slid open. We walked mutely out of it, and went our separate ways to school.

~*~End Prologue~*~

Chapter One coming soon, I promise!! 


	2. Chapter One: Around the World

Author's Note: Hi! I'm sorry this took so long to get up. It's all in Avaris's POV. No stealing. All standard disclaimers apply. thanks for reading. I'm really not in the mood for this right now, so before I can butcher the intro any more ...

__

"The Rise of the Elements"

Chapter One: Around the World

***

Avaris

Something was happening. I knew it was, but I couldn't figure out where for the life of me. It wasn't nearby, or I would have sensed it. It couldn't be too far away, or I couldn't have sensed it. I knew because I had the characteristic pounding headace all through my first period. So during my free period, I hurried into an empty hallway and called Hermes over the communicator. 

"What's wrong?" I heard his voice, tinny and small over the microphone, say. 

"I'm sensing bad vibes," I said, trying not to sound too concerned. "Have you picked anything up?"

"No," Hermes said, and I could hear the frown in his voice. "Are you sure you're sensing something?"

"Yes, I am definitely sure," I said, rubbing my temple. "I have that headache."

"Hmm," Hermes said. "Well, you're definitely picking up something, but it's not within my range..." I could faintly hear the sound of a keyboard clicking away, and I knew that Hermes had pulled out his tiny computer. 

"Well, I'm stumped, Avaris. Call an Elemental meeting after school today."

"Will do," I said, and turned off the communicator. I sighed and slumped against the wall. 

"Gee, Avaris, you look super tired!" I heard a familiar voice say. I opened my eyes and smiled. 

"Yeah, Molly, I am pretty tired. I just had a long night and now I have a migraine." 

"A migraine?" Molly gasped appreciatively. "Shouldn't you go home?" I managed to shake my head. 

"Probably not a good idea. I have that in-class writing in Japanese Lit. this afternoon." 

"Oh, poor girl!" She said, patting my hand. I smiled. 

"That's okay. It should go away soon." Molly nodded and turned to leave, but at the last moment she stopped and looked back at me. 

"Oh, did you hear about Ami?" She asked me. I looked up and shook my head.

"No, is something wrong?" I asked, concerned. Mamesa was Ami's guardian, if something was wrong with Ami I needed to notify her. But Molly laughed and shook her head.

"Not at all. Apparently she's involved in something called Around the World, a sort of competitive club outside of school that's for people who excel in academics and athletics. She's in the math program, and she's leaving for Spain to compete in a couple weeks! If she passes the round there, she moves on to Ireland, then England, and then finally California, and finally the last tournament is here in Tokyo. It's a really big deal, and Serena and Lita are trying to go too." She laughed. "I think Lita can get away with Home Economics because of her cooking skills or Martial Arts. But poor Serena, she doesn't have a chance." My eyes widened. 

"Really? That sounds way cool. I'll have to talk to Ami and Lita about it." Molly nodded and waved. 

"Well, I have to go to Asian Civ. now, but feel better!" I returned the wave.

"Thanks, Molly, I'm sure I will!"

***

That afternoon I sat in my room with my friends Halimeda, Mamesa, and Arianna. None of us were feeling too well -- apparently I wasn't the only one who sensed something awry. Hermes sat nearby, clicking away on his computer. 

"Okay. I'm downloading from the GPS satellites to get a larger range and try to find what you girls are picking up. Wait for it to finish downloading . . ." I nodded and turned to the girls. 

"First item of business. Have any of you ever heard of a program called Around the World?" Halimeda raised her hand, as did Arianna. "What do you know about it?" I asked her. 

"Well, actually, I'm a part of it." Halimeda said slowly. 

"You are? What do you do?"

"I swim. I wanted to mention it, because I'm getting the offer to go to Spain in a few weeks, and I need to know if I'll be able to or not because of my duties with Rei . . ." 

"What about you, Arianna?" 

"I compete with the broadsword," she said, looking slightly sheepish. "I thought it might help with the Clouded Blade in battle." I raised my eyebrows.

"Good thinking. Perhaps we all should take weapons training. Are you also going to Spain?" 

"Well, if this one girl looses to me, then yes." I was thinking fast. 

"Is it at all possible for the rest of us to register in this program?" Halimeda and Arianna exchanged unsure glances. 

"Umm. Well, there's a registration today in town . . ." Arianna said. "But what would you guys enter under?" 

"Archery," I said without hesitation. Mamesa looked thoughtful. 

"Martial Arts," she said finally. Arianna nodded.

"I know there's an opening in Martial Arts, but I don't know anything about the Archery program."

"Wait," Mamesa said. "Avaris, why are we doing this? Shouldn't we be staying here and be good guardians?" 

"That's the thing," I said. "Ami is going to Spain, and possibly Lita. I don't know about Mina or Rei, but the odds are ten to one that they're doing the exact same thing we are doing right now." 

Meanwhile . . . 

"We can't let Ami go to Spain alone! Don't even think about it!" Serena wailed. Serena, Rei, and Ami sat on the floor in Rei's temple, discussing Ami's trip. Surprisingly, Mina and Lita were late, and Serena had been on time. 

"You're right! Ami, is there any way we can go as well?" Ami looked thoughtful, but her thought process was interrupted by a loud clack as the sliding door banged open, revealing a very happy Lita and Mina. 

"Guess what, guys??" Mina asked excitedly. 

"What?" Serena replied. 

"We registered in Around the World!! Lita made it in Martial Arts and Home Economics, and I managed to get in for Drama and Volleyball!" Surprisingly, Serena began to wail.

"It isn't fair!!" She sobbed. "Everyone is going to Spain except for me!" Rei rolled her eyes. 

"Don't be stupid, Serena, I'm not going either!"

"Not yet, you aren't!" Lita said, pulling Rei up by the upper arm. Serena suffered the same treatment from Mina. 

"We're going to register you right now!"

At the same time . . .

I walked into the lobby of the Around the World building accompanied by Halimeda, Arianna, and Mamesa. Halimeda led Mamesa and I over to the registration desk and smiled winningly.

"Hello," she said. "I was wondering if you have space for two more applicants?" The secretary returned the smile and turned to her computer.

"Well, I'll check and see. Athletic or academic?"

"Athletic," Halimeda replied. 

"Which sport?"

"One for Archery and one for Martial Arts." 

"We have several spots open in both categories. Go out to the field behind the main building, they are holding tryouts right now." She handed us each a ticket. Mine read, "Archery, 43," and Mamesa's read "M.A, 37." Halimeda smiled again.

"Thank you very much," she said politely. The secretary nodded and returned to her work, while we headed out back. 

"So you think you're an archer, huh?" A large man, an american, asked me, prowling around me in circles. I watched him out of the corner of my eye.

"Sir, I know I'm an archer." The man looked surprised. 

"Can you string a bow?" 

"Yes, sir."

"Can you find a bow according to your preferred weight?"

"Yes, sir."

"Can you flight an arrow?"

"Yes, sir. In thirty seconds, sir." The man's bushy eyebrows lifted. 

"Well, let's just see if you're as good as you say you are then." he led me over to a selection of unstrung bows, coiled strings, un-flighted arrows, and flights. I tested the weight of several bows before finding the one that suited me best. Taking a string that was the correct length, I quickly strung it and selected an arrow and several flights. Within forty seconds I had the bow strung, drawn, and aimed at the nearest target. 

"Release," the man said gruffly. His voice showed no surprise. I corrected slightly for wind, and let fly. The arrow thudded into the target, and four others followed in quick succession. When I stopped, he glanced at me and went to inspect the target. He looked back up at me and frowned slightly.

"The arrows will have to be cut loose. They are embedded too deeply into the target to be pulled." I lowered my bow and unstrung it as the man returned to my side. He clapped me on the shoulder and extended a thickly calloused hand. 

"Welcome to the Archery team," he said, smiling slightly. "My name is Dawson. I took his hand and shook it, smiling broadly. 

"Thanks, Dawson." Dawson looked over my shoulder and his gruff facade re-appeared. I turned, and started in surprise. 

"Rei?" I asked. Rei Hino stopped in her tracks. 

"Avaris?" She squeaked. "What are you doing here?" 

"So you know this one, eh?" Dawson asked. "Is she any good?" I smiled. 

"Why don't you ask her?" Dawson nodded and approached Rei. I smiled apologetically at her, and he began barking out the same questions I had answered only moments ago. Soon, Rei had strung her bow and flighted her feathers, and released five arrows into the target next to mine. Dawson shambled over to hers and inspected it, and turned back to us. 

"Again, the arrows will have to be cut loose. They are too deeply embedded to be pulled free." He shook his head in amazement. "Two expert archers in one day. It must be my lucky week." I smiled and turned to Rei.

"So, are you trying to go with Ami?" She nodded. 

"But what about you?" 

"Halimeda swims for Around the World, and Arianna is in the Broadsword class here. We're in the same position as you are." Rei nodded knowingly. 

"I see. What is Mamesa doing to get a ride?" 

"Martial Arts," I answered. Rei's eyes widened. 

"That's what Lita is doing!" She exclaimed. "She's over there now."

"So is Mamesa," I said. "Let's go see what they're up to." She nodded, and we headed over to the Martial Arts section of the field.

"Be here at nine o'clock on Saturday for practice!" Dawson hollered at us from the archery lanes. We nodded and waved our acknowledgement and continued to the field. 

We were walking over to the field when we encountered Arianna, Halimeda, and Ami, smiling and waving at us as we approached. 

"Where's Lita and Serena and Mina?" Rei asked. 

"And Mamesa?" I chimed in. 

"Mamesa and Lita are signing in for Martial Arts -- they both got in, you should have seen it, Mamesa nearly flipped the guy instructor and Lita beat the crap out of the girl one. Needless to say, they both made it. How did archery go?"

"We both made the team. Where's Serena and Mina?" 

"Serena decided to give the Field part of Track and Field a try; she thinks she'll be good at the discus throw." Ami said. Rei nodded knowingly. "Mina went with her." 

"Where's the discus throwing?" I asked. Lita and Mamesa came up, chatting animatedly and Ami pointed over towards the track. 

"It's being held in the center of the track," she said. "Shall we go over there?" I nodded. 

"I want to see Serena throw the discus!" I said. Everyone else nodded in agreement, and we jogged to the track. 

_Moon . . . Tiara . . . Magic! _Serena thought, biting her lip in concentration as she shifted her weight and hurled the discus with all of her might. It went sailing up into the air in a graceful arc and then came down to land gently on the other side of the track, at the foot of the bleachers. The man who had asked her to throw stared, and Mina clapped and cheered her appreciation. 

"That's the fifth time in a row," she heard the man mutter to himself. "I don't understand the accuracy!" Serena grinned at Mina and saw that all of the other girls -- including the de-transformed Elementals -- had showed up. 

"Throw it again, Serena!" Mina yelled. The other girls cheered their encouragement, and Serena shook her head, blushing, but went to pick up the discus all the same. Again, she threw it, and again, the discus sailed gracefully to land in the exact same spot as before, give or take a few centimeters. The cheers this time were louder than ever, and the man, shaking his head in bewilderment, walked over to Serena. 

"I guess you're on the team!" He said, looking slightly bewildered. Serena smiled. "Our next practice is at nine this saturday. Do you know about the banquet sunday night?" Serena shook her head. "The owner of this program is having a banquet at the Rising Sun Hacienda on Sunday night. The attire is formal, and everyone who is going to Spain must attend."

"I'm going to Spain??" Serena squealed. The man laughed.

"Are you kidding? With a throw like that? Of course you're going! Be at the Rising Sun at seven o'clock. It ends at eleven." Serena nodded. 

"Thank you so much, sir!! I'm so excited! Thank you thank you thank you!" The man nodded and waved her away.

"Don't forget about the banquet!"

"What banquet?" Rei asked. Serena shrugged.

"Apparently everyone who's going to Spain has to go to a banquet at a place called the Rising Sun Hacienda. It's being hosted by the person who started the Around the World company."

"That's right," Halimeda said suddenly. "I had forgotten. Did you know about it, Arianna?" Arianna shook her head.

"I still have to duel that one girl on Saturday. If I win, then I go to Spain, but if I loose, I miss my chance." Ami nodded. 

"I knew about it, but I didn't think to mention it. Are you guys going?" She indicated Lita, Mamesa, Rei, and myself. 

"I think that Avaris and I will be going," Rei said. "Dawson seemed like he was pretty impressed by our archery skills." 

"After throwing that guy, Mamesa is going to Spain for sure," laughed Lita. 

"You're one to talk!" Mamesa exclaimed. "You're the one who beat the crap out of what's-her-face, Ms. Shang!" Lita laughed too. 

"Okay, so we're both going. Mina?" Mina shrugged.

"I'm in the same position as Arianna. I have to play in a volleyball tournament on Saturday, and if my team wins, I go, but if we loose I don't."

"What about Drama?"

"Oh, that. I'm already going for Drama." Mina said, shrugging off the question. We stared.

"And you didn't _tell_ us?" demanded Serena. Mina shrugged again and laughed loudly.

"Like Ami, I just didn't think it was nesecary!" Rei groaned, and we all said good-bye and returned to our respective homes. 

That night, I sat on my bed with Hermes, discussing what it was we were sensing. 

"Well, I've localized all the points of negative energy by country, and it's looking like they're most prominant in Spain, Ireland, England, and the state of California in the USA." I started.

"We're going to each of those spots for the Around the World tour!" I exclaimed. Hermes nodded.

"I know. That's why I'm suspicious. Keep your eyes open at that banquet, Avaris, and watch for anything -- or anyone -- who seems a little strange." I nodded. 

"Am I patrolling tonight?" I asked. Hermes nodded his assent and clicked off his computer. 

"Yes. Especially after these discoveries." I groaned, but stood up and opened the door from my room to the balcony. After checking to make sure no one was around, I leapt from the balcony to my roof, and then to the sidewalk behind my house. 

"Soul Crystal Power," I whispered, and began my patrol.

At around midnight -- the witching hour, a part of me thought -- I reached Juuban Park. I hesitated, wanting to go in but not wanting to encounter the many memories the place held for me. Finally, I decided duty came before desire, and, taking a deep breath, hurried inside. 

When I reached the lake, I paused, hidden in the shadows, and watched the moonlight reflect off the surface of the water for a while. Something plopped into it, causing ripples, and my senses became alert so suddenly it was as if they had been electrified. I squinted my eyes into the shadows on the other side of the lake, straining to see a hidden figure or a flash of movement. I became very still myself, and after a few moments I was rewarded with a slight flash of white from a shadow under a tree. I squinted, and watched as the flash fluttered slightly in the breeze like a cloak, and disappeared. Right after the patch had gone, a feeling hit me in the stomach like a solid punch. I had to sit down, because I thought I recognized the feeling immediately, but as it faded away I became less sure of what it was. I shook my head, and decided to head back to my house and my warm bed. I had done enough patrolling for the night, and we had archery practice the next morning . . . 

That Sunday . . .

A long, sleek, limo pulled up to the covered entrance of the Rising Sun Hacienda. I piled out of it after Serena, Ami, Rei, Lita, Mina, Mamesa, Arianna, and Halimeda. We had all qualified for the trip to Spain, although Mina's volleyball team had lost their tournament. We were all dressed accordingly to the formal attire requirement and also according to our respective elements, although only we knew that. We each handed the door keeper our invitations and he bowed us in to the main room. 

We stepped in and I heard Serena sigh with appreciation. The ballroom was beautiful, decked out in crystal and gold and silver. Dancing couples of students our age twirled across the floor, and more students sat at tables, laughing and eating. Just as we stepped in, the band quieted, and a man -- Dawson -- stepped up to a microphone. 

"Now that most of us are here, it is time for us to introduce you to a very special lady. She had the idea for this whole operation and still keeps it going with generous grants. Please allow me to present to you, the creator of Around the World, Miss Selestinea Soluminary." There was applause as we all sat at a table near to the platform, and a beautiful woman who seemed to be made of silver and gold took the stage. 

She was dressed in a simple, shimmering white gown, but her wavy golden hair cascaded down her back like a fountain of honey. She wore a simple chain with a glittering silver stone at her throat and her eyes -- grey -- seemed to glow a sterling silver in the light from the crystal chandeliers. Her features were so finely shaped they seemed to be carved from a luminescent marble. Something about her reminded me of someone . . . but I couldn't place just who it was. She shook her head when Dawson offered her the microphone, and began to speak in an accent I was completely unfamiliar with. 

"Thank you, Dawson. I am very glad to be here on this day when all of my talented young children are readying themselves for the adventure of their lives. We depart for Madrid two weeks from now, and I hope all of you keep up with your studies and practices until then." She smiled and laughed, and it was a throaty, gurgling laugh one would not have expected from so delicate a woman as she. "Thank you all for attending tonight, and I hope you all enjoy yourselves. If you have questions, please come and ask me." Her eyes fell on our table, and her expression changed from happy to the satisfied, pleased look of the cat who knew she had caught her canary. She dipped into a little curtsey, and stepped off the stage. 

It wasn't until she had sat down at her table on the other side of the room when the same sensation hit me exactly as it had the night before. I groaned slightly and bent over my table, waiting for it to pass. When it faded away, I looked up and found that Selestinea was no where to be seen. Disoriented, I closed my eyes and tried to place the familiarity I had sensed from her. I had felt it last night on patrol . . . and . . . and also . . . I scrunched my eyebrows together in an effort to remember, but all I could catch where flashes and fragments of images. A breeze . . . a sparkle from the moon on water . . . a waving cloth that was . . . a cape? I bit my lips in frusturation, and my concentration was shattered when a gentle hand touched my shoulder.

"Avaris? Are you all right?" I looked up into Halimeda's concerned blue-green eyes. I shook myself, as if to rid myself of my confusion.

"Yes. I'll be fine," I said, although I wasn't sure at all that would be the case. 


	3. Chapter Two: Sunlight in Elysion

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hi there! I know this has taken a while to get out; I'm sooo sorry, I hope that no one's forgotten about this story!! This is a confusing chapter, so read it slowly and keep your eyes open for hints about what's coming up. 

Thank you soo much for all the wonderful and supportive reviews; it really keeps me going. : ) All standard disclaimers apply, of course, and please don't steal my plot or my characters. If you want to write something involving the Elementals or Leander or whatever, drop me a line at clarabeara86@aol.com and I'll let you know what I think.

Oh, and it's important to remember in this story that in Roman Mythology Helios was the sun god. Apollo was the sun god in Greek Mythology . . . keep your eyes open for a trend! That's the only hint I'm giving you!

Read it, review it, and most importantly, enjoy it! (= my trademark phrase, no stealing it either! I saw it on someone else's story and almost flipped!)

__

Rise of the Elements: Chapter Two

"Sunlight in Elysion"

That night all the Scouts - Elementals and Inners - were crashing at my house. We piled into the basement, shoving our various pillows, blankets, and sleeping bags into corners and against walls. I paused and smiled at a picture of Celeste and I, taken before Leander had stolen her away from us. As I turned my head away from the picture, out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw a flash of golden hair and deep gray eyes instead of the hazel-eyed brunette I had so well known. I shook my head to rid my mind of the image, and turned back to my guests. 

As everyone settled down, Luna, Artemis, and Hermes padded into the room and sat in the center of the floor. 

"Are your parents home, Avaris?" Artemis asked me quietly. I shook my head. 

"They shouldn't be back until eleven o'clock or so, maybe later," I said. Artemis nodded. 

"Good," Luna said in her highly polished voice. "There is a lot we need to talk about. Did you notice anyone unusual at the ball tonight?" I thought. 

"What did you think about . . . . oh, what was her name . . . Selestinea Soluminary?" Rei asked. "I definitely picked up some weird sensations from her."

"Me too!" I exclaimed, pointing at Rei. "That was so bizarre."

"Negative sensations?" Artemis asked. Rei and I shook our heads simultaneously.

"Not quite _negative_ . . . strange, alien, and yet . . ."

"Familiar," I finished. 

"Exactly," Rei said, smiling and nodding. Luna shrugged.

"I'll go to Headquarters and pull up what information I can on her. What else did I want to mention . . . . Oh, do any of you find it at all interesting that every last senshi is leaving Tokyo at the same time?" 

"Not every last senshi," Serena interrupted. "There's still Neptune, Uranus, Pluto, and maybe Saturn . . ."

"But can we really count on them, Serena?" Lita asked, frowning slightly. "I don't really know if I trust them."

"Well I do," Serena said, pouting stubbornly. "I think Tokyo will be in good hands. I can visit Setsuna tomorrow, if you like, and ask her to keep an eye out for us." Luna nodded.

"That would be wise, Serena. Now, about this Around the World program. Hermes, do you think it could be related to the vibes everyone has been sensing?" Hermes nodded and pulled his computer out of his sub-space pocket. The tiny machine hummed and whirred as he pulled something up quickly - the map he had downloaded from a GPS satellite.

"Look," he said, pointing with a single claw. "There are negative spots of energy all over the world -- the strongest being in Spain, England, Ireland, and California of the United States. The other spots are small, and I think dependent on the strength of the other ones. But isn't it interesting, that the Around the World program is visiting every major negative point?" 

"And we have _connections_ to every major negative point," Mamesa said suddenly. I frowned at her.

"What do you mean?" 

"Look," She said, pointing at the map. "Halimeda is from Spain. Arianna and Avaris are from Ireland. Mina, aren't you from London?" 

"What about America?" Ami asked. It was quiet for a while, and my eyes wandered across the room. My line of sight lighted on the photograph of Celeste and I.

"Celeste," I said suddenly. 

"What about her?" Asked Rei. 

"She was from America. California, to be exact. L.A. . ."

"That's right," Hermes said suddenly. "I had forgotten." 

"That's so strange . . ." Halimeda breathed, blue-green eyes wide. "It seems as if they're targeting certain scouts . . . but why Celeste? I mean, wouldn't they know she's . . . . gone?"

"What I don't understand," Mina said speculatively, "Is why Celeste wasn't reborn. We were all reborn," she said, gesturing to the Inners. "And obviously, you were too, from the Silver Millenium, anyway. So why wasn't Celeste?" 

"Well, how do you know if Celeste wasn't reborn?" Serena demanded. 

"You mean . . ." Arianna whispered. 

"What if . . ." 

A sudden image of a white cloak fluttering in the moonlight flashed across my mind. 

"Hermes," I asked quietly. "Do you still have the Sun Crystal?" Hermes nodded. 

"I should. I put it a special barrier around it in my sub-space pocket so no one would be able to detect it . . ." He flipped, and there was a flash of light, but nothing appeared. He frowned deeply, and flipped again. Still, nothing. 

"It's gone," he said grimly. "The Sun Crystal has been stolen." 

***

In Crystal Tokyo, during the 30th century . . .

"Please, Apollo, your concern is understandable. We are working on it now, as we speak."

"Is there nothing more you can do?" 

"Nothing comes to mind."

"Can't you . . . send someone back? Send a message, a _messenger_, anything?" 

"Apollo! Calm yourself. We will not endanger anyone further than is nesecary."

"Endanger? _Endanger!_ Our very existence is flickering like a candle light, and you worry about _endangering_ anyone else? If we die, you know very well what the consequences will be. I want to go see Helios."

"Out of the question."

"_Why?"_

"Stop. You try my patience."

"_I_ try _your_ patience?"

"Enough! I will bring it up with Her, but I do not promise anything."

"Very well. It is the most I can ask for." 

***

In Elysion . . . 

A golden-white figure stepped through a crystal wall and walked slowly through a garden abundant with flowers of all kinds -- roses in particular, of every color. Crystal fountains sang in harmony with the chiming stars and beating hearts, a melody which soothed the soul and mind. The figure approached a gazebo made of shimmering ivory and fiery marble, smiling at the sight of its olympian beauty. 

"Helios?" A musical voice asked quietly. Another figure, also clad in white and gold, shimmered into being. A handsome young boy, almost a man, smiled, and knelt, kissing the first figure's delicate hand. 

"Hello," he said fondly, in a voice that sounded too old for his boyish appearance. "What brings you to my home?" 

"Our home," she reminded him, tousling his hair. "I need . . . a place to stay, for a while. Not long."

"My doors are always open," he said. "What brings you here?" 

"Queen Serenity," she said. "My duties. I must not forget my position, even in light of the recent . . . difficulties." Helios nodded understandingly. 

"Do the others . . . know you've returned?" The first figure shook her head, causing cascading waves of golden hair to ripple about her shoulders. 

"Queen Serenity forbade it," she said. "They are to find it for themselves, although I intend to give them hints." She laughed quietly. "I've been fairly obvious, till now." 

"Have you found . . . ?" Helios' question trailed off into his hopeful gray eyes, staring up at the tall warrior pleadingly. She sighed and took his hand. 

"Not yet, Helios, not yet. It will be soon, though, I promise." She sighed again and rubbed her eyes tiredly. "For now, I must sleep. Being in this form again is rather trying."

"Of course," He said, and led her to a quiet bedroom, open to the night air. She smiled and bade him good night, kissed him on the forehead, then lay down and closed her eyes, breathing lightly and quietly within a matter of seconds.

"Good night," Helios whispered, his eyes filled with an unreadable emotion. "Mother." 

Review if you want more!


	4. 

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Mostly in Serena's POV. I'm so sorry this has taken so long to get up, the writer's block is especially bad at this time of year. :-O Plus, final exams are just around the corner, and I *should* be studying for them instead of writing SM fan fiction, but whatever. :-) All standard disclaimers apply, please don't steal plot or characters. Read it, review it, and, most importantly, enjoy it! 

Thanks!

~Teller 

__

"Rise of the Elements"

Chapter Three: Birth of a New Sun?

In Tokyo . . . 

"Now boarding flight 137 non-stop flight to Madrid, all rows. Please turn in your boarding pass at the gate. Remember, no smoking while on the plane. Thank you for flying with Continental, and enjoy your flight . . ." 

"Ouch! Serena, you stepped on my foot!"

"Sorry, Rei, but I can't find Darien! He said he'd be here!" 

"Well, maybe he's taking a page out of your book and being late for a change! Now come on, they're boarding all rows! We can't miss the flight!" 

"But I didn't get to say good-bye . . ."

"Then _what_ were you doing at Le Estrelle last night during dinner?" 

"Le Estrelle? Oh, that's right, we did go there . . . hee hee . . . nothing, Rei!" 

"Eww, Serena, that's really gross."

"You're just jealous, Rei. Oh! There he is! Darien!" Serena ran to Darien's side, leaving Rei nursing a wounded foot and grumbling about the immaturity of the future Queen and the Elementals laughing at Serena's antics. 

"Come on, Rei, she won't miss the flight. Let's board and we'll save her a seat." Mina said, winking. 

"Yeah, give her some space so she can say good-bye to Darien," Halimeda chimed in. 

"It doesn't look like they'll be saying much . . ." Arianna commented, eyes wide.

"And it certainly doesn't look like they have much space . . ."Avaris chuckled.

"That's quite enough, you two!" Mamesa laughed. "Come on, let's go."

"All right . . ." Rei muttered, shouldering her backpack. "But I get the window." 

"Oh no you don't!" Lita shouted, sprinting for the gate. "I call it!" 

"As long as I don't get the middle, I'm fine," Ami laughed. Mina giggled. 

"Then you'll have to race me for the aisle!" 

"What? Oh, Mina, you wouldn't!" 

Five minutes later, when the scouts minus one were all settled in, Serena bounded onto the plane and up the aisle. 

"Sorry, guys, but Darien wanted to say good-bye and then this tall guy and three others cut the line in front of me and then this family with two kids nearly ran me down and . . ."

"Tall guy? Was he cute?" Mina and Lita wanted to know.

"I don't know, I didn't really see his face . . . but he looked pretty old, Mina, like in his early twenties."

"And how old is Darien?"

"Well . . ."

"Oooh, you hypocrite!" Serena blushed and changed the subject quickly.

"So, where's my seat, guys?" She asked, looking at the rows. 

"Well . . ." Mina said slowly. 

"You didn't save me a seat?" Serena demanded.

"Umm . . ." Rei said slowly. 

"Aguh!" She shrieked. "I can't believe you guys! Why wouldn't you save me a seat?" 

"Erm . . ." Lita said slowly. 

"Well what?" She demanded hotly.

"Well . . . you see . . ." Ami said, blushing slightly. 

"Excuse me miss, but you have to sit down," a stewardress said chidingly. 

"I can't find a seat," Serena whined. The stewardress looked exasperated, and looked around the plane.

"There isn't one on this level. You'll have to go up to the first class floor."

"First class?!?!" Rei burst out as a huge grin spread across Serena's face. "You're being rewarded for being late??" Serena giggled. 

"Stop delaying me, Rei, I have to go to my seat now!" She sang, as she bounced up the stairs. 

Serena stepped onto the first class level, looking for a seat. She spotted one on the aisle next to the tall young man who looked to be about Darien's age that had cut in front of her. She tapped him on the shoulder, and he looked up at her. 

He had sun-bleached hair and blue eyes, and a slightly muscular build. _Just Lita's type_, she thought. _Then again, her 'type' doesn't have a very small range._

"Can I help you?" He asked in a deep baritone. Serena nodded. 

"Is this seat taken?" She asked shyly. The man shook his head. 

"No, not at all. Please, sit down." Serena nodded again.

"Thank you, sir." 

"You're very welcome." As Serena sat down, he helped her put her carry-on bag under the seat. He extended a broad hand. "My name is Samson Sune. I'm very pleased to meet you." Serena returned the hand shake. 

"My name is Serena Tsukino," she said. "And the pleasure is all mine."

"Please meet my niece, Hideko Sune." He gestured to a small girl - maybe two or three years old - sitting at his side. "She is coming with me because my brother and my sister in law are taking their second honeymoon." Hideko leaned forward, and Serena found herself staring into wide silver-blue eyes and a head of curly golden hair. 

"Hide . . .ko?" She asked, putting a finger to her mouth and looking puzzled. Serena lauged. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Hideko," she said, putting her hand out to be shaken once more. Hideko looked at it curiously, then took it in her own hand and turned it over, as if looking for something. Serena felt a strange, golden tingle warming the back of her mind. She blinked, and watched Hideko study the pink nail polish intently, before dropping Serena's hand.

"Pretty!" She said. 

"Why, thank you, Hideko." 

"Why are you flying to Madrid?" The man asked curiously. "Are you with the Around the World program?" 

"Yes," Serena nodded. "I am on the track and field team. And you? Why are you flying to Madrid?" 

"I am one of the judges," he said. "I met Miss Soluminary a few months ago, and we've become very close." Serena raised an eyebrow, and Samson laughed. "No, not that way. We've become very good friends." Serena laughed and nodded. 

"I see. How did you get the job as a judge?" 

"Well, I work for one of the major corporations that helped funding the Around the World program when it was first started. There were several others, and at least one member of each corporation was made a judge. It was merely coincidence that I was chosen," he said, shrugging. Serena's eyes widened slightly, and her eyebrows came together.

_Coincidence_, she thought. _After everything that I've been through, I'm not sure I believe in coincidence anymore. _

"And are you familiar with any of the other judges?" She asked. Samson shook his head. 

"I'm afraid not. I'm one of the few judges coming from Japan." Serena nodded, and felt a hand land on her shoulder. She looked up, surprised. 

"My kitten, what are you doing here?" Serena blinked. 

"Haruka! What are you doing here?" 

"Michiru and I are traveling to Madrid on business. What are you doing? You need to stay in Tokyo, things will be dangerous for you elsewhere." Samson looked at Amara intently. 

"Serena, I don't believe we've been introduced," Michiru said quietly, her tone indicating that it would be unwise for them to say more at that time and place. Serena nodded.

"You're right, Michiru. Samson, these are my friends Haruka Tenno and Michiru Kaiou. Haruka, Michiru, this is Samson Sune, a judge for the Around the World Competition." Samson shook hands with both of them, then directed a question to Michiru. 

"Michiru Kaiou? The internationally recognized violinist who instructs the advanced placement music students at Around the World?" Michiru nodded and rewarded Samson with a small smile. 

"The very same," she said. Samson grinned. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Kaiou. Miss Soluminary has told me much about you." Michiru's eyebrows raised. 

"Miss Soluminary and I are still only acquaintences. I'd be interested to hear what she said." Samson laughed.

"Only compliments, Ms. Kaiou, only compliments." He turned to Haruka. "I'm afraid I'm unfamiliar with your name, Mr. Tenno." Serena opened her mouth to correct Samson, but Michiru shook her head almost imperceptibly. Haruka forced a smile. 

"I am a race car driver . . . among other things." Samson's eyes lit up. 

"That's right! I thought your name sounded familiar . . . you earned second place in last year's Gran Prix, correct?" 

"Not last year, Mr. Sune, but the year before." 

"Ah, of course. I apologize."

"No need," Haruka said, waving a hand airily. "Well, my kitten," he said to Serena. "Michiru and I must sit down now. We will talk later."

"Of course, Haruka. It was good to see you two." They nodded, and moved up to take their seats. 

"Kit - ten?" Hideko asked, tilting her head to one side. 

"Yes, sweetie, kitten," Samson chuckled. "How do you know those two?" he asked Serena curiously.

"Old friends of the family," Serena explained hastily. Samson nodded in acceptance and turned to Hideko, who was fussing about her seatbelt.

The seatbelt sign turned on with a quiet ding and the plane began to move slightly. Serena glanced around the first class section, trying to put names to the faces that she could see. There were very few that she recognized; and the only name she could come up with for any of them was Selestinea Soluminary -- she could recognize her shining hair from three rows back. 

As the plane began to take off, Samson leaned back and promptly fell asleep. Hideko sang a wordless song quietly to herself as she brushed the hair of a Sailor Moon doll. Serena watched and chuckled quietly to herself, then reclined her own chair and began to fall asleep herself. 

_She was falling, but not unpleasantly. No, not falling, floating, through a golden misty haze. She was surprised to find herself not in her street clothes or her fuku, but in her Neo-Princess Serenity gown. She felt a quiet tremor within her, and the Silver Crystal appeared. _

The golden glow reduced itself in the presence of the silvery shine the Crystal was emitting, and a figure cloaked in the golden haze became visible before her. 

"Who are you?" She asked. 

**A messenger**, the figure said. It didn't speak with words, but Serena could understand it all the same. She opened her mouth to ask, but the presence continued. **I have been sent to tell you that The Land of Dreams, Elysion, is dying. **

"Dying?" she asked. The presence glowed in an affirmative nod. 

**The Land of Phantasm is taking over, slowly but surely , very similar to the way the Dark Moon Kingdom took over your own, Princess.**

"How did you - wait, what is the land of Phantasm?" 

**The Land of Phantasm is the counterpart to the Land of Dreams. It is the darkness for Elysion's light, the night for Elysion's day. One cannot exist without the other, and the two must remain in balance at all times. When the balance is tipped, the price is paid in full with the blood of innocents.**

Serena shuddered slightly. The 'blood of innocents,' as this presence had put it, had been spilled on her side before. She would do anything short of selling her soul to the devil to avoid repeating the incidence. The voice continued. 

**If the Land of Dreams falls to Phantasm, then your world, and your future, is next in line. Elysion has protected the Sol Solar System since perhaps before the beginning of time, and if it's barriers are breached, Nightmare will overwhelm the Earth and flood the Solar System with it's sinister power. Your future will crumble and fall down about your ears, and there will be nothing you can do to stop it. **

"What can we do now?" Serena asked desperately. The golden light glimmered in what she supposed was a smile. 

**Now? **it asked. **Now you can clean your world of excess Nightmare, send it back to Phantasm, where it belongs, and then tip the scales in the favor of Dream. Your light, and the light of those who love you truly, will overcome the imbalance and save your future. Here:** the figure extended a shadowed hand towards Serena, who held out her own in response. Their fingers touched, and Serena felt a flood of power rush through her, revitalizing her and mending old wounds. It's soothing golden glow felt strangely familiar, as if she had experienced it's rush of light before. She frowned and tried to remember, but only the golden shimmer filled her mind.

After she felt it had run through her veins completely, it sank into the Silver Crystal and rested there. Serena blinked, surprised. **Now the power of Elysion runs through you. Give your powers to those who fight beside you as well, and Phantasm will be vanquished under your hands. **

The words had a sense of finality to them, and Serena stretched out her hand again. 

"Wait!" she cried. The light sent out a series of rays that reminded her of a chuckle. 

**I am not going anywhere, your Highness. I will be with you until Phantasm leaves your world. **

Serena nodded, and the figure, along with it's golden glow, vanished. Only fragments of light remained, imprinted upon her heart like the sun is imprinted on your eyes if you look into it too long. 

****

She sighed, and relaxed, knowing in a few short seconds she would awaken and find herself on a plane bound to Madrid. 

"Pretty!" 

"Wha -- huh?" Serena asked, jerking up into a sitting position. Samson snorted in his sleep beside her. "Oh - Hideko. You startled me."

"Pretty!" She repeated, brandishing what she held between chubby fingers. Serena gasped. 

"My locket!" She exclaimed. "Please give that back, Hideko. Where did you find it?" 

"Floor," she replied proudly, pointing beneath her feet. 

_It must have fallen out of my pocket_, Serena thought in dismay. _I hope I can get it back!_

****

"May I please have my locket, Hideko?" She asked, smiling sweetly. Hideko shook her head stubbornly, sending the golden ringlets crowning her head spinning around her. 

"I'll give you a piece of chocolate," Serena bribed unashamedly. Hideko gasped. 

"Candy!" She explained. She hurled the locket into Serena's lap and scrambled across Samson's legs. "Where?" She demanded. 

Serena chuckled as she picked up her locket. She glanced at Hideko and gasped in surprise. A warm golden aura hovered around her, especially bright around her head and her chest, right above where her heart would be. She looked at Samson beside her, and was startled to see that he too shared the golden glow. She glanced at her hand, and found it enveloped in a silver-white light. She glanced around the plane, and more brightly- colored hues streamed out of hearts and minds to greet her. She saw an aura of blue and green winding about Michiru, and a navy-blue twisted through Haruka's short hair. Yet another glimmer of gold caught her eye, and she recognized the back of Selestinea's golden head. Her heart almost stopped. 

_Gold_, she thought. _Golden as sunshine . . . Sun. I met her last Sunday at the Rising Sun Hacienda. Her name is Selestinea SOLuminary. . . sol! Sun! Celeste wasn't reborn for all we know . . . but the Sun Crystal is missing . . . Celeste! Selestinea is --_

"Candy!" 

"What?" Serena's train of thought was interrupted by a pleading voice. "Oh, that's right. Sorry, Hideko, here you go." She pushed several chocolates into Hideko's tiny hand and watched her return to her seat. She clasped the locket tightly again, and the auras shimmered into view. 

_It's never done that before_, she thought. _The power of Elysion runs through it? But what is the connection of Elysion to the Sun? And why do Hideko and Samson share Selestinea's aura? Samson and Hideko are related, so that may be part of it, but Selestinea . . . possibly Celeste . . . maybe, Celeste and Samson are related? _Serena gazed at Hideko, and a thought came to her. _Celeste's sister? Celeste's child? No . . . and that still doesn't explain the connection with Elysion . . . _

Serena frowned deeply and turned up her headphones. These thoughts were way too complicated for her. She needed someone else to bounce ideas off of . . . she would just have to wait until they reached Madrid. 


End file.
